Pros and Cons of Cloud Hosting

Moving to the cloud isn’t always cloud 9, there are some definitePros and Cons of Cloud Hosting that might surprise you.

Cloud hosting is a method of hosting servers and other IT systems. Instead of hosting these systems internally, you pay a fee for them to be hosted remotely, without needing to have physical hardware within your grounds. You gain access to the hosted systems via the Internet, renting the space you need instead of investing in physical systems. Cloud hosting offers many benefits like the rapid provisioning of resources on demand, but there are drawbacks to consider. This article outlines the pros and cons of cloud hosting.

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Capital Outlay

One advantage of using cloud hosting (or cloud computing) is that it doesn’t cost a business on infrastructure or hardware. Internal hosting requires a lot of investment upfront on infrastructure, plus companies often need specialist skill to implement the systems within their environment. This means added costs on things such as servers, network devices, storage and software.

Moving to the cloud means you won’t need to invest in the above. All you need to do is contact a cloud service provider and buy their service which initially works out a lot cheaper for most companies. You can be up and running on an excellent platform quickly – renting the space and power you need.

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Pay Per Use

Another pro with using cloud hosting is that its pay per use, which means you only pay for what you use and how much you use. Instead of investing in a server up front, you rent it month by month and can cancel your subscription without losing the whole of your investment.

Cloud hosting is also scalable, meaning you can quickly add or remove capacity as your business changes. With physical servers you’ll need to invest wisely, considering your business needs over the next 3-5 years.

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Reliability

Cloud hosting is very reliable. Cloud services run on pooled and redundant infrastructure which can mean uptime as high as 99.9%. The provider also backs up all your data, meaning there’s less for you to worry about.

This is a clear advantage over locally hosted infrastructure, where all redundancy, backups and disaster recovery are your sole responsibility. However, all providers are different so it’s worth checking their redundancy offering before you sign.

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Remote Access

Cloud hosting or cloud computing allows you to access the cloud’s resources from around the world. From any device, you have complete access to all your resources. You’re never tied to a single location and you won’t need to go into the office to check if your server is online.

This offers excellent flexibility for remote workers, allowing them to create a remote office at home or on the go. All you’ll ever need to access your environment is a device and a reliable Internet connection.

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Less Skill Required

Another advantage of using cloud hosting is that cloud-based systems often require less management skill – everything is often done by the cloud service provider. This can ultimately cost you less to host your servers.

However, it is worth bearing in mind that it depends on the system you’re using. in some cases cloud systems are complex, so you might need extra help if you’re not technically minded.

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Simplicity

Another Pro to moving onto a cloud hosting platform is that there is less work and hassle for you to worry about. Cloud systems often require less administrative and management responsibility depending on the system you’re using. This can mean an overall reduction in time and financial costs.

A simple example is that cloud hosting requires no upgrades, saving you time which can be invested elsewhere.

Cons of Cloud Hosting

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Internet Speed

One disadvantage of using cloud hosting or cloud computing is that it requires a fast internet speed with good bandwidth. To access your cloud services, you need good bandwidth to upload and download files to and from the cloud.

Even though you can access the cloud wherever you are around the world, without a decent connection you may find it difficult to access your cloud services. This is particularly true for purely cloud-based systems i.e. where there is no local application that syncs from time to time.

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Loss of Control

Cloud hosting can limit the control you have over your infrastructure, partly because you are not the owner of the underlying physical infrastructure. This is a disadvantage as you rely on the security of the cloud service provider which will always be a concern.

Having said that, most providers offer excellent standards of security, but breaches can and do happen. furthermore, if the cloud provider goes offline, you will have to wait for them to resolve the issue – there’s nothing you can do to solve it.

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Less Flexibility

Cloud hosting can be more restricted and limited on flexibility versus locally hosted systems. Even though the cloud offers a wide range of services, consuming them can come with a lot of restrictions and a lack of flexibility for your applications or developments.

Vendor lock, also known as platform dependency, can sometimes make it difficult for you to change from one provider to another, which can lead to your systems being set in stone.

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Security Concerns

There are some security concerns over cloud hosting. This is partly because cloud services are public, which means that the provider you use is ultimately responsible for looking after your data. While most providers offer a high degree of assurance, your data is still outside of your control. you have far less control over how it is stored, who accesses it and whether it is involved in a breach.

Any business looking to use cloud hosting must take into account which provider they use and the security controls they have in place. All providers are different so you should try and find a provider that offers the best level of security and compliance. look closely at their policies before signing up.

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Rental Model

When using cloud hosting, you face ongoing costs because you pay on a rental basis. Even though it is initially cheaper to rent rather than buy your infrastructure, cloud hosting tends to cost more in the long term.

However, the ability to be up and running quickly with minimal capital outlay is advantageous to many environments.

Questions About the Pros and Cons of Cloud Hosting

We offer a wide range of flexible and secure cloud hosting solutions. In addition to offering hosting from some of the worlds leading providers, we offer UK-based cloud hosting in our own data centre. If you’re interested in moving to the cloud, or have any further questions on the pros and cons of cloud hosting, please contact us today to find out how we can help.